Semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) fabrication involves forming multiple material layers with designed patterns on a semiconductor wafer. Those patterned material layers on the semiconductor wafer are aligned and configured to form one or more functional circuits. Photolithography systems are used to pattern a semiconductor wafer. When semiconductor technology continues progressing to circuit layouts having smaller feature sizes, a lithography system with higher resolution is need to image an IC pattern with smaller feature sizes. An electron-beam (e-beam) system is introduced for lithography patterning processes as the electron beam has wavelengths that can be tuned to very short, resulting in very high resolution. Digital pattern generator (DPG) is an important component of reflective e-beam lithography system. Usually a DPG is bonded to a support substrate through bonding pads. Sometimes bonding pads experience damages during a formation of the DPG, which may cause future bonding process failure. Improvements in this area are desired.